Day 95 Repent, Cleave to God, Harden Not Your Hearts

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus tells his followers that they are the salt of the earth, and in the same sentence offers a warning that savorless salt is good for nothing. Join me in an attempt to be savory salt as I share each day one verse of scripture and one small thought. Perhaps this small daily emphasis can lead to greater savor in your life and ultimately you and I can be savory salt.

Hello, my friends and family, wherever you're listening from, thank you for joining me. And know that I'm cheering for your every success. And another success comes down the line of savory salt as we enter Day 95.

And we wrap up Jacob chapter 5. What a great conclusion to an incredible chapter. Welcome to the Book of Mormon.

We're going to read Jacob chapter 5, verses 71 through 77. Give yourself a pat on the back and say, well done me for finishing that chapter. Nicely done.

And we are going to sneak a few verses in Jacob chapter 6. So read Jacob chapter 6, verses 1 through 5. Now our verse today is actually going to come from Jacob chapter 6, even though I told you I had four pieces together from Jacob chapter 5.

I believe that this verse from chapter 6 is still a part of the Jacob 5 conversation. So we have established the roots of your testimony. And then we've considered ways that the branches are encumbering our lives and making things more difficult than they need to be.

We're getting overwhelmed with too much stuff. And then yesterday, we talked about the Lord preparing a way for change and for help to make our fruit most precious above all other fruits. Now we come to today's to kind of wrap this all together and say, what does this mean for me?

And that comes in Jacob 6, verse 5. Let's read it together. Verse 5 says: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God, as he cleaveth unto you.

And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of day, harden not your hearts. Now this is not a call to action from Allen Roberds for you to repent. This is simply Jacob wrapping up his thoughts.

Remember, in the chapters preceding Jacob chapter 5, he was preaching about the ways that the people of Nephi needed to repent and change their lives. He shared with them this incredible vision of a tree and the vineyard and all these changes that go through as the Lord seeks to save that vineyard which is most precious to him. It grieves him to lose it.

And then Jacob comes back out of the story and says, what does this mean, folks? It means I'm asking you in words of soberness to repent, to come with full purpose of heart and cleave unto God. This is such a beautiful arc for me, and it's something I've seen this time for the first time as I've looked at these verses together.

I see the way the Lord wants us to believe that he has a way that can help us. He will send the people that we need in our lives to help us, and he will absolutely always have his arm of mercy extended in the light of the day. So in final thoughts there, harden not your hearts, seek to repent.

This doesn't have a direct connection, but I think you're going to see an example of it. I recently set up an appointment with a really good friend of mine who I trust very deeply to tell me the truth. And I asked during that lunch, we were talking and I simply said, And we can do that same thing with the Lord.

We can turn to Him and say Lord help me see the ways that I can change in my life. And the Lord will show them to you. Harden not your heart about that.

See that the Lord is here to help us change and be better. That is the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That's why Jesus Christ did what He did.

I want to take advantage of it. I want you to take advantage of it. I want you to share it with your friends and family so they can take advantage of it and feel the love that truly is the most precious above all other fruits that God could offer us.

Ah, that has been an incredible journey through Jacob chapter 5. And I thank you for joining me through that journey. That's all for today, my friends.

Remember that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. Keep it small, keep it simple, and always seek to be savory salt. I'll be here tomorrow, and I hope you are too.